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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25650478">Just Knock Twice</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheObsidianSun12/pseuds/TheObsidianSun12'>TheObsidianSun12</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Umbrella Academy (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Trauma, Gen, Ghosts, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Mausoleum, Reginald Hargreeves' A+ Parenting, Spoilers for Umbrella Academy Season 1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 12:48:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,573</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25650478</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheObsidianSun12/pseuds/TheObsidianSun12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Life at the Umbrella Academy was rough on everyone, and in order to survive, you had to deal with your trauma.  Diego and Klaus figured out an exchange, so that neither had to cope with their nightmares alone.<br/>OR: Three Times Diego Helped Klaus, and One Time Klaus Helped Diego</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Diego Hargreeves &amp; Klaus Hargreeves</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>162</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Mausoleum</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Klaus was absent from dinner, Diego was filled with concern.  This wasn’t like his brother at all.  In fact, Diego hadn’t seen Klaus since lunch, when Dad had pulled Klaus aside and taken him… somewhere.  But Dad was here, now, without Klaus.</p>
<p>So where was he?</p>
<p>It wasn’t as if Diego could ask.  Dad was very strict about his “no talking at the table” rule, which his siblings had finally started adhering to a few months ago.  But still, the spot across from him remained empty as the final plates were cleared away.</p>
<p>The rest of the evening went by in a blur, with Klaus nowhere to be found.  Diego had half a mind to go out on the streets looking for Klaus, even though it probably wasn’t the greatest idea he’d ever had.  When he finally was settled in his room for bed, he happened to glance out the window and spot two figures.</p>
<p>The first was unmistakably his dad, Reginald Hargreeves: top hat, monocle, and all.  But the second… was that Klaus?</p>
<p>It was, wasn’t it?  Klaus’ head was downturned, and he remained a full step behind their dad, every-so-often swiping at his eyes with a sleeve.  As they rounded the corner out of Diego’s line of sight, he found himself slipping out of his room to follow them through the glimpses he caught in the windows.</p>
<p>Diego trailed them all the way to the front door, and upon hearing the lock open, pressed himself flat against the wall, careful to quiet his breathing.  Dad and Klaus paused, Dad barking out an order while Klaus cringed away.</p>
<p>“Number Four, I hope that you have learned your lesson.  Return to your quarters immediately.”</p>
<p>Klaus nodded, and his eyes followed their father as he turned on his heel and stalked out.  Diego refrained from doing the same, instead studying Klaus.  His brother looked gaunt, and his eyes were haunted.  Whatever had happened, it looked like Klaus would not soon forget.</p>
<p>Diego noticed tears well up in Klaus’ eyes as Klaus’ face fell to study the floor.  Klaus made no move to progress towards his room.</p>
<p>Something was seriously wrong.</p>
<p>“Hey, Klaus?”  Diego stepped out from the shadows, causing Klaus to jump and stare at him with wide eyes.  “What’re you doing up so late?”  He tried to be conversational, to alleviate the panic it looked like Klaus was feeling.</p>
<p>“Just… just training.”  Klaus refused to meet Diego’s eyes.  “Working on my powers, I mean.”</p>
<p>Diego made a noncommittal noise.  “Want me to walk you back to your room, since I’m up?”</p>
<p>“That’d be… I’d like that.”</p>
<p>Diego found himself leading the way to Klaus’ room, glancing back occasionally.  Every time he did, he found Klaus rubbing at his arms and scanning his surroundings, almost as if he expected something to jump out at him.  Unconsciously, Diego began doing the same.</p>
<p>His nerves were shot when they arrived at the door to Klaus’ room.</p>
<p>“Well, here we are.”  He stepped aside to let Klaus through, but Klaus made no move to enter.  “Are you going in, or not?”</p>
<p>Still, Klaus remained frozen, staring into the darkened room with something resembling fear.</p>
<p>“Klaus, are you okay?”</p>
<p>Klaus managed a small shake of his head, his eyes not leaving the doorway.</p>
<p>Diego stepped in front of Klaus, blocking his view of the room.  He placed his hand on Klaus’ shoulder.  “Do you want to talk about it?  I’ll listen, and I won’t tell anyone.  I promise.”</p>
<p>That seemed to give Klaus all the permission he needed to break into tears.</p>
<p>“Woah, hey, Klaus.”  Diego flipped the light switch in Klaus’ room on, and carefully led Klaus through the disaster zone that was his room to settle him on the bed.  He closed the door behind them with a soft click before taking a seat on the bed next to him.  “What’s wrong?”</p>
<p>“I… I told you I can see ghosts, right?” Klaus sniffled.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Diego replied.  That breakfast conversation had been awkward for everyone.</p>
<p>Klaus wiped at his nose.  “So… Dad thought I could… control them, but I… I didn’t want to.  So he locked-”  Klaus’ voice broke.  “After lunch, he locked me in the mausoleum.”</p>
<p>Diego tensed, anger simmering in his blood.  He was going to have <em>words</em> with their dad, he knew that much.  But Klaus wasn’t done talking.</p>
<p>“I was in there… for ten hours.”</p>
<p>Reginald Hargreeves would have hell to pay for that.</p>
<p>Diego took a deep breath to calm himself before speaking.  “Is there- is there anything I can do for you?”</p>
<p>“I don’t want to be alone,” Klaus whimpered, gazing at Diego with tear-filled eyes.</p>
<p>Diego nodded.  “I can stay here tonight, if that’s what you really want.”</p>
<p>Klaus nodded feverishly, and Diego got up from the bed and made his way over to the light so Klaus could lie down.  He found himself a new seat at Klaus’ hazard-zone of a desk.  He had just gotten settled when he heard Klaus’ voice emanating from the dark.</p>
<p>“Diego?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, Klaus?”</p>
<p>“What if it happens again, and you’re not up?”</p>
<p>“You can wake me up, by knocking on my door, or something.  Just knock twice, so I know it’s you.”</p>
<p>“Just knock twice,” Klaus murmured sleepily, and soon, all Diego could hear were snores.  It was not long after that he, too, had fallen asleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Ben</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Five people left on the mission, and only four came back.  And that loss was weighing on everyone.</p>
<p>When the Umbrella Academy returned to the mansion, they all went their separate ways.  Luthor led a sobbing Allison back to her room, rubbing her back and murmuring comforts.  Klaus had run inside and disappeared, though where he was going, Diego couldn’t be sure.  He found himself making his way to his own bedroom, locking the door before he let his stoic front drop away.</p>
<p>It wasn’t fair.</p>
<p>In the span of a few months, he had lost two of his siblings, and both of their bodies had never been recovered.  There was nothing to bury.  The only thing that remained were memories.</p>
<p>But he knew that his struggles were nothing compared to Klaus’.  Klaus and Ben had been inseparable since birth, had done everything together, and to Klaus, it probably felt like he had lost a piece of himself.</p>
<p>And Diego knew he couldn’t empathize with that.</p>
<p>Diego was shaken from his thoughts as he heard knocking on his door.  Two knocks, to be precise.</p>
<p>He opened it to find Klaus trembling, with red-rimmed eyes and a blanket clutched around his shoulders.</p>
<p>Ushering Klaus in, Diego peeked out into the  hallway to check if anyone had seen, and assuring himself that there was no one there, closed and locked his door.  He turned back to Klaus, who had seated himself of the edge of Diego’s bed with his knees pulled to his chest.</p>
<p>Diego took a seat next to him and wrapped an arm around Klaus’ shoulder, pulling him close.  Even the small sense of comfort caused Klaus to break into tears once again.</p>
<p>“He’s gone,” Klaus sobbed into Diego’s shirt.  “How could he leave me?  How could he leave us?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know,” Diego replied, softly rubbing Klaus’ back.  He wished he could say something, anything, to make everything better, but he could come up with nothing.</p>
<p>“We should have done something, should have saved him!  Ben never should have had to go in alone, we should have gone with him, we should have-”</p>
<p>Klaus was rambling, his mind spiraling down a dark path, so Diego interrupted before he could go any further.</p>
<p>“There’s nothing we can do now.”</p>
<p>The words hung in the silence, a looming shadow.</p>
<p>Klaus glanced up at Diego, streaks of wetness trailing down his face.  Diego became faintly aware of the tears welling up in his own eyes.</p>
<p>“There’s nothing we can do now,” he repeated, his voice a hoarse whisper.</p>
<p>Tears welled up in Klaus’ eyes, and he buried his face back into Diego’s shoulder.  Diego hugged him close, and finally allowed his tears to fall.</p>
<p>What had happened, words couldn’t fix.</p>
<p>They just had to work through it together.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Vietnam</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just as a chronology note, this chapter occurs during S1E09 “Changes”, in between when Diego gives blood to save Allison and when Klaus tries go back to drugs and Ben punches him in the face.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ever since Klaus had been kidnapped, he had been acting… different.  And Diego would have confronted him earlier, had the next few days not immediately gone to shit.</p>
<p>He had first noticed a change in Klaus two days ago, just before Five had appeared out of nowhere and fallen onto the kitchen counter.  Diego had agreed to go on the mission to find Harold Jenkins, which resulted in his own arrest and imprisonment.  After breaking out, he had been sent to recruit Luther to rescue Allison, who they had found that evening, luckily in time to save her life.  Diego had volunteered to donate blood, proceeded to pass out, and now, he was finally drifting back to consciousness.</p>
<p>He had been dumped unceremoniously on his bed, his knives digging uncomfortably into his ribs.  Sighing, he rolled onto his back and sat up, rubbing at the spot on his wrist where he assumed blood had been drawn.</p>
<p>He hated needles.  <em>Hated</em> them.</p>
<p>Hearing muttering and pacing outside his door, he ceased any movement to tune in to the noise.</p>
<p>“I don’t want to bother him, Ben.”  That was Klaus’ voice.  “He’s probably busy with other stuff.”</p>
<p>There was a pause.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I know that, just-”</p>
<p>Another pause.</p>
<p>“Fine.  Have it your way!”</p>
<p>There were two knocks at the door, and Diego didn’t hesitate before saying, “Come in.”</p>
<p>The door creaked open, and Klaus poked his head in.  “Oh.  You’re up.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”  Diego noted the slight tremor in Klaus’ hands, and the bags under his eyes.  “Are you doing okay?  After being kidnapped by those masked bastards, and all that?”</p>
<p>Klaus wrung his hands for a minute before stepping determinedly inside the room.  “Truthfully?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>Klaus flopped on the bed next to Diego.  “Where to start?  Well, the ‘masked bastards’ tortured me for almost a day, then I got sent to the Vietnam War, met and lost the love of my life, I’m pretty sure I died and came back to life, and I haven’t had a hit since Vietnam.  So, I’m doing peachy.”</p>
<p>“Jesus, Klaus.”  Diego couldn’t imagine, didn’t<em> want</em> to imagine, the horrors Klaus had experienced in the war, or what had been inflicted on him by Hazel and Cha-Cha.  But losing the person you loved… that was a fresh wound for him, as well.  “I’m sorry.”</p>
<p>“It’s just how the cookie crumbles, right?” Klaus joked, but there was no humor in his voice.</p>
<p>After a moment, Diego spoke.  “What was her name?”</p>
<p>A faraway look plastered itself on Klaus’ face.  There was a long pause before he replied.</p>
<p>“<em>His</em> name… was Dave.”</p>
<p>So she was a <em>he</em>.  Not that it mattered.  As long as Klaus was happy, he could date whoever the hell he wanted.  It was really none of Diego’s business.</p>
<p>Klaus continued speaking,  “We soldiered together at the A Shau Valley in the Mountain of the Crouching Beast.</p>
<p>“Well, Dave must have been a very special person to put up with your weird-ass shit,” Diego commented.</p>
<p>Klaus laughed, a breathy chuckle.  “Yeah.  Yeah, he was kind, and strong, and vulnerable, and…”  Klaus paused, murmuring the last word almost to himself.  “Beautiful.”</p>
<p>Diego remained silent, but he clasped Klaus’ shoulder as a sign of support.</p>
<p>“I loved him.  He was all that kept me there, kept me going.”  Klaus took a shuddering breath.  “I just… I miss him, so much.”</p>
<p>A sob escaped Klaus’ throat, and before Diego knew it, Klaus had entangled his fingers in the fabric of Diego’s shirt and buried his face in Diego’s chest.  Diego found himself rubbing circles on Klaus’ back, quietly shushing him.  While Klaus was technically older than him now, in Diego’s mind, Klaus would always be his little brother.</p>
<p>“It’s okay, Klaus.  I’ve got you.”</p>
<p>Eventually, Klaus’ cries quieted, but he didn’t move from his position curled into Diego.  Diego didn’t have the heart to move him, even when Klaus’ whimpers changed to soft snores.</p>
<p>Right now, Klaus needed him, so he would be there for him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This chapter doesn’t really fit with the current series timeline.  It was written before season 2 and the season 2 trailer aired on Netflix, so it’s really “my take” on what happened when they traveled back in time.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Diego laid on his bed, staring blankly up at the ceiling.  This week had been… <em>interesting</em>, for sure.</p>
<p>First, his father (though he thought Sir Reginald Hargreeves didn’t deserve the title, not anymore) had died, and the whole family had reunited for the first time since Allison’s wedding.  Five had appeared out of nowhere, assassins had attempted to kill them all, Eudora had been murdered, Klaus had traveled back to the Vietnam War, Allison’s throat was slit, Vanya had almost destroyed the world, all seven of the Hargreeves kids had traveled back in time and were stuck in their childhood bodies, and Mom…</p>
<p>Mom had died not once, but twice.</p>
<p>Diego found himself absently tracing patterns into the sheets with his knife, the blade dragging on the fabric without catching.  It was the same knife he had slit open his mother’s wrist with, the same knife that had severed the wires that kept her functioning.  He could still remember her last words, seared into his brain, her voice fading as the power that gave her life drained away.</p>
<p>“Di-e-go, re-mem-ber.”</p>
<p>He put his hands over his ears, trying to block out a voice he knew wasn’t really there.  He had let her down.  She had only ever shown him, shown <em>everyone</em>, kindness, and he killed her.  It was his fault.</p>
<p>But it wasn’t the only time he had watched her die.</p>
<p>He had stared up at the window, saw his mom waving from it as the mansion crumbled around her.  Klaus had grabbed his arm, dragging him away as Diego fought to reenter the building.  There was a rumble, and so much dust, dust enough to choke on, and-</p>
<p>He should have gone back in.  He could have saved her.  He <em>should</em> have saved her.</p>
<p>But it was too late, and she was gone.</p>
<p>The knife slipped out of his hand and clattered to the floor, and Diego made no move to recover it.</p>
<p>He hated this.</p>
<p>He hated how he felt, how he had created this <em>persona</em> that was unfazable.  He hated that what Sir Reginald Hargreeves had done made him unable to ask for help <em>to this day</em>, lest he be seen as weak.</p>
<p>He hated that he would always be seen as “second-best”.</p>
<p>Emotions he hadn’t allowed himself to deal with began flooding his perception.  Rage, grief, fear, regret.  He couldn’t cope with this, he couldn’t, he <em>couldn’t</em>-</p>
<p>And he was staggering to the door, not noticing as he slit his foot on the blade he had dropped minutes earlier.</p>
<p>When Diego finally regained some sense of consciousness, he found himself in the hallway, staring at the door of Klaus’ bedroom.  Somehow, his subconscious had determined that <em>this</em> was the place that he needed to be, <em>this</em> was who he needed to talk to.</p>
<p>Diego raised a hand to knock, but paused.  Klaus was probably asleep.  There was no need to bother him with problems Diego should be able to deal with himself.</p>
<p>Even if Diego felt like he was drowning.</p>
<p>He turned to walk away, back to his room.  He made it three steps before he hesitated and backtracked, returning to the door.  Before he could talk himself out of it, he raised his hand and knocked.</p>
<p>Twice.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading!  Comments are always appreciated.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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